3 Danish teak nesting tables by Henry Walter Klein

3 nesting coffee tables in teak, designed by Henry Walter Klein for Bramin. Denmark, late 1960s or early 1970s.

• The tables are stable and in very fine condition; our restorer’s fine sanding and oil finish revived the depth of the grain and highlights the joinery design.
• H 48.5 cm / 44.5 cm / 40.5 cm
• L 58 cm / 50 cm / 42 cm.
• D 35.5 cm.

Teak nesting coffee tables by Henry Walter Klein

This set of nesting coffee tables in teak was designed by Henry Walter Klein for the Danish maker Bramin in the late 1960s or early 1970s.

The principle is simple and remarkably effective: grouped together, the tables take up very little space and form a compact set; separated, they become a series of small side tables that can be moved around a sofa or armchairs. A glass, a book, or a lamp can then sit exactly where needed, without permanently imposing the bulk of a large coffee table.

The design follows the same economy of means. The rectangular tops let the warm teak grain show through, while the slender, slightly tapered legs lighten the structure. The wood joints and softened corners speak to particularly careful craftsmanship: no added decoration—it’s the construction itself that gives the piece its character.

The nesting table, a piece made for everyday living

A familiar presence in 1960s furniture, the nesting table perfectly answers the era’s search for mobile, space-saving pieces that accompanied the rise of modern interiors.

Here, Henry Walter Klein pushes that logic with great simplicity: each table works on its own, yet their proportions were calculated so they almost disappear beneath one another when not in use. The set can serve as a compact coffee table, as sofa-end tables, or be deployed as needed when several surfaces are required.

This versatility makes these small tables especially easy to integrate into a contemporary living room today, even when space is limited.

Henry Walter Klein and Bramin, a Danish collaboration

Born in Norway, Henry Walter Klein first trained in woodworking before studying interior design in Copenhagen at Frederiksberg Tekniske Skole, where Finn Juhl taught among others. He later settled in Denmark and developed a lasting collaboration with Bramin, producing seating, tables, and storage furniture.

The simplicity of these nesting tables neatly sums up that approach: function determines form, while the quality of the wood, the proportions, and the joinery provide the essence of their presence.

The maker’s historical archives have preserved advertising material presenting Bramin as quality furniture “designed & made in Denmark”. More than sixty years later, these tables illustrate that ambition quite literally: an understated piece, yet remarkably well thought out for everyday use.

Teak revived through restoration

The tables are stable and in very fine condition. The oil surface renovation carried out in our restoration workshop has revived the teak’s warm tones, brought out its grain, and re-emphasized the precision of the joinery. The wood retains a natural feel and a depth that the sobriety of the design allows to fully shine.

The restoration made it possible to rediscover the quality of the joinery and the depth of the grain, while restoring to the teak a natural feel in keeping with the organic forms dear to Klein.